Tree support



Oct. 11, 1927. 4

I E. u. FOWLER TREE SUPPORT Filed Sept. 16,

, INVENTOR [fill/[3T U. FOWLER ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 11, 1927. i I UNITED STATES F GiFfiF-ltiitii. ERNEST esteem-e satire ANA, 'CALIFQRNE1I.

TREE SUPPORT.

Application filed-September 16,1925. Serial" No. 58.625.

This'invention relates-'to'tree supports. justed. position. The two sides of-the plate The general object of the. invention is to will engage opposite sides. of the wire. The provide an improved-tree support which is flattened portions 12 and M serve as 'stop provided with adjustable supporting me1nmembers'to, prevent'thesupporting member 60 bers whereby the support can be adjusted to 16 from sliding ofi the ends of-the wire 11. suit different requirements. It is frequently desirable that-eachof'the Another object of the invention is to prosupports should brace a plurality of limbs vide a tree support wherein a sustaining and with my improved device I may do this member is employed and wherein a plurality by arranging as many of the hooks on each 10 of adjustable supporting members such as rod as desired.

hooks are mounted on the sustaining mem When an extremely long support is debers so that they can be assembled in difsired I may couple two or more of the rods ferent positions. together as shown in Fig. 2 by interengaging Other objects of the invention will be apthe hooks 15.

15 parent from the following description taken Many fruit growers now prop their trees in connection with the accompanying drawby inserting branches or timber beneath the ings. wherein: trees. This practise is objectionable as the Fig. l is an elevation of a tree showlng my limbs can not be properly supported in this improved supports thereon; manner and very frequently the branches 20 Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation through will break off at the prhp. With my invena portion of a. tree showing my supports; tion the limbs can be braced from the main Fig. 3 is. a fragmentary perspective detail trunk of the tree so that the. likelihood of showing one of the clips; breakage is reduced to a minimum.

Fig. 4: is an enlarged sectional View show- In supporting fruit laden trees the resili- 2 ing the portions of the clip, and ency of the loaded limbs is such that a nice Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail. adjustment is required to secure the best sup- Referring to the drawing by reference porting efi'ect. If the branches are pulled characters, I have indicated my improved up too tight they are likely to snap off at the.

tree support generally at 10. This support point of support while if they are too loosely includes a wire or rod 11 which is preferably supported the fruitwill be shaken ofi' should made of rather stiff metal and which is a heavy wind blow. With my improved shown as provided at its lower end with a brace the proper tension can be given to the flattened portion 12. Adjacent the upper brace regardless of the distance between end of the wire 11 I arrange a second fiatthe supporting and supported limbs. 0 e

35 tened portion 14 and beyond this flattened In Fig. 1 I have indicated a tree A, and portion 14 I show a hook 15, the purpose of the branches of the tree are indicated at B. which will be presently described. C indicates the fruit. The supports, it will Mounted upon the wire 10 I show a plube seen, are here arranged in such manner rality of adjustable metal supporting memthat the heavily laden limbs are supported 40 bers 16. Each of these members, as shown, in a suitable manner.

is made from a flat strip of metal bent to The supports may be arranged in a vertiprovide a base portion 17 and a curved tree cal or inclineddirection or if desired some engaging portion 18 for engaging the limbs of the supports may be arranged horizonof the tree. The members 16 are preferably tally as shown in Fig. 1. With my im- 45 harder than the wire. proved tree support the full bracing value The base-l7 is provided with an aperture of the support can be utilized since the ad 19 through which the wire or rod 11 is injustable feature allows the proper tension to serted before the flattened portions 12 and 145 be maintained in the support.

are constructed. Having thus described my invention, I 50 The aperture 19 is of such a size that the claim:

supporting member will slide freely and ro- 1. In a device of the class described, a

tate upon the rod when at right angles to wire a tree supporting member, said tree the rod, but when the base is turned at an supporting member comprising a metal angle to the rod as shown in Fig. 5, the walls plate comprlslng two parts, one part being of the apertures will bind against the rod fiat and apertured to receive the wire and thus holding the supporting member in adnormally arranged at substantially a right angle to the wire, and the other part being bent to form a tree engaging part, said aperture being slightly larger than said wire. m

2. In a tree supporting device, a wire,

said wire having a flattened portion adjacent each end thereof, a hook adjacent one end of said wire, a plurality of supporting members movably mounted on said wire, said supporting members each having a base portion and a tree engaging portion, said base portions being apertured to receive said wire, said supporting members movable along said wire when said base portion is at right angles to the wire, and said base portions being adapted to engage the wire when the base portion is tilted with respect to the wire.

In a device of the class described a wire, a tree supporting member comprising a metalplate apertured to receive said wire, said metal plate being slidable along said wire, the aperture in said plate being of a size so that when theplate is moved out of a plane at right angles to the axis of the wire the two sides oi the plate will engage opposite sidesof the wire.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

ERNEST U. FOWLER. 

